zoomorphic

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The Word of the Day for July 31 is:

zoomorphic   \zoh-uh-MOR-fik\   adjective 
    *1 : having the form of an animal 
     2 : of, relating to, or being a deity conceived of in animal form or with 
animal attributes 

Example sentence: 
     A number of zoomorphic constellations are present in the zodiac, including 
Aries the Ram, Capricorn the Goat, and Taurus the Bull.

Did you know? 
     The combining form "zo-," or "zoo-," derives from the Greek word "zoion," 
meaning "animal," and "-morphic" descends from the Greek "morphe," which means 
"form." We're sure you know other English words that come from "zoion," such as 
"zoo," "zoology," and "zoological." Other descendants of "morphe" exist in 
English as well, including "anthropomorphic," which means "having human form," 
and "metamorphosis," which refers to a change in form, structure, or substance 
caused especially by supernatural means. Combining these two forms gives us the 
adjective "zoomorphic," which first appeared in English in 1872 and is used to 
describe something that resembles an animal in form.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.